ISSUE NO. 1

1. Welcome

2. Introduction

3. Product Committees

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1. Welcome:

The Board of Directors welcome you all to the World Ostrich Association, thank you for your support of the Association, we look forward to and encourage your full participation.
 
The following is a quote from a paper at the World Ostrich Congress, just finished in Poland:
 
"I had during this time contact with some of the biggest meat companies in Germany, and their conclusion is, that we, the Ostrich Industry must set unique standards and organize the market, and then we can return to speak with them."

These words, we suggest, sum up why this Association is so essential ...there is a need for a Strong World Association that can set Standards, provide a means of communication and dissemination of information. Your board encourages membership from participants at all stages of the production chain, including manufacturers and buyers of our products to help steer our industry forward from the current fledgling status to become a mature and professional livestock production industry. We ask that each and everyone of you encourage others to join the World Ostrich Association to assist in developing an environment where all participants can grow their own businesses. Membership currently processed at the time of writing:

            Region 1 (North America) - 5
            Region 2 (South America) - 2
            Region 3 (Europe) - 5
            Region 4 (Middle East) - 1
            Region 5 (Sub Saharan Africa) 1
            Region 6 (Asia) - 0
            Region 7 (Pacific Rim and Australasia) - 5
 
Full details of the regions are available at: http://www.world-ostrich.org/regions.htm
 
2. Introduction:

Each month - or more frequently if the need arises - we will provide a newsletter to inform members of issues that are of concern or interest to us all. We welcome contributions to the newsletter from any member.
 
The [email protected] internet mailing list may be used by any member to ask questions, raise discussions and generally communicate between members. If there are non-English speaking members, they are welcome to post a message in their own language and we ask someone who speaks that language to translate to English. This method of communication will provide access to non-English speakers to a greater number of people with the experience they are seeking. We also ask English speaking members of a non-English speaking country to translate for members from your country unable to speak English.
 
Shortly there will be a "members only page" that will have an increasing amount of information available only to members supporting the association.
 
3. Product Committees:

We currently have a situation where we have a market interested in our products...the founder members have come together to form this Association through certain frustrations over the general lack of professionalism within the industry. The major cause of this problem is the lack of leadership to provide a direction with benchmark standards. In 1999 a number of people took part in an Industry Strategic Analysis session to identify the problems in our industry and the need for standards was clearly identified...yet efforts to introduce standards have been continually blocked. As has been proven, an industry without standards is limited in it's ability to grow as confusion remains amongst buyers and producers. In addition the less than honourable traders capitalise on the situation.
 
Below is a list of the different areas your Board have identified as requiring the setting of Standards. If any member has suggestions, has seen a specific need or would like to contribute as a committee member your contribution would be welcomed. There will be a separate email list for discussions between the members of the Standards committee and once established they will be announced to
members for their approval.
 
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PRODUCT COMMITTEES

Motivation:

The Ostrich industry is in its infancy as a production livestock industry and supplier of meat products. It is acknowledged by many that there is a need for grading systems for all products to enable buyers to have benchmark guidelines, to eliminate the �trading� on price alone, to eliminate the manipulation through mis-information and provide an environment for quality production resulting in the
development of a thriving industry.

Aims:

The aim of these committees is to establish and/or review research projects and develop standards as are common practice in other livestock industries. It is expected that these will evolve as bird quality improve and the research projects produce meaningful results.

Each committee will consist of 5 people that combine the expertise of those who must have an understanding of the factors that control the quality of the production and active experience in the market place.

For the trading for Fertile Eggs, Birds, Meat and Green Skins each country has it�s own protocols. There is a need to work towards standardisation as close as is achievable, given each country�s unique health status and requirements. Each committee should also establish a database of protocols already established between different countries and be available to provide advise to those countries with a need to establish protocols.

PRODUCTS:

Birds:

At this time probably the most challenging to establish comprehensible definitions that can be interpreted accurately and enforced.

This committee will cover such things as:
* International Transport of Eggs, Chicks and Birds
* Definitions of �Healthy Birds�
* Gradings and/or Classifications of Breeding stock marketed.
* Will the WOA operate a Bird Registry Program?
* Research Projects
* Protocols
 
Meat:

The market place requires these with a sense of urgency. It is suggested that the current BM grading system be recommended for adoption.

This section will include such things as:
* Carcass Grading
* Meat Grading
* Muscle Names
* Definitions of Yield measurements
* Requirements for a Slaughter Plant
* Requirements for EU Approval of Slaughter Plant
* Research Projects
* Protocols

Skins:

The industry currently has basic grading standards, but in all other respects an Ostrich Skin is an Ostrich skin, with some companies developing marketing strategies relating to skin type and/or finish. There are no International standards providing specific specification. The committee will quantify the available standards and evaluate the need for amendments in relation to:

* Grades and system of Grading
* Classifications to include:
* Thickness
* Follicle development
* Size
* Research Projects
* Protocols
* Recommended Removal Instructions for Raw Ostrich Skins
* Recommended Storage Instructions for Raw Ostrich Skins
 
It will be up to the committee to develop the required areas for classifications and it is to be expected that these will evolve as the volume of skins increases and data is collected and evaluated.

Feathers:

As the oldest of the products this is where there is most knowledge, but current information is only available through the marketers...there is a need to provide access to 'generic' definitions for buyers to reference.
 
* define feather types
* define grades within feather types
* research projects
* protocols

Oil:

The board suggested that these standards will be discussed after the above standards have been finalised. It is accepted that more data will be required before the following can be accurately determined.

* Standards for rendering to produce marketable Crude Oil
* Standards for refining to produce marketable Cosmetic Oil
* research projects
* protocols